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Monument Hill to be revitalised as an exercise hot spot

MOSMAN Park could have exercise areas rivalling East Perth’s Jacob’s Ladder if ideas to revitalise Monument Hill on the North Fremantle border are adopted.

On Tuesday, the council adopted a concept plan for revitalising the hill, which has the only 360-degree coastal views of Perth, before public comment is sough in the next two months.

The plan, developed with Peppermint Grove architects Blackwell and Associates and UWA landscape architecture student Reuben Spurge, aims to solve degraded vegetation, rubbish dumping, anti-social behaviour and isolation of the under-utilised site that hosts a Department of Water reservoir, an old car park and an 1875-built navigation obelisk.

“On a clear day you can see from Pt Peron to the Perth Hills and beyond Scarborough.”

The uncosted concept includes potential boardwalks, new paths, lighting, art and provisions for a potential cafe.

Other projects on which the final plans could be modelled include the revitalisation of Reabold Hill in City Beach, and restoration of the former BP bunker depot east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Mr Norris said improvements would allow Monument Hill to be used by a greater variety of people for different purposes, effectively providing passive surveillance against some of the anti-social uses currently attracted to the area because of its isolation and degraded state.

“In time, commercial opportunities such as a cafe could emerge,” Mr Norris said.

He said talks with the Department of Water about improving the hill had been “very positive”, although the department had indicated it needed to keep a reservoir overflow pit on the west side of the hill.

The department, Tourism WA and the Department of Sport and Recreation are likely to be approached by the council to help fund the project, which is considered a long-term project taking several years.

The revitalisation will work in concert with a community-developed proposal to create a nearby regional park linking the Swan River to the coast.